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WORKS BY PERCY MACKAYE 



FLAYS 

The Canterbury Pilgrims. A Comedy. 

Jeanne d'Arc. A Tragedy. 

Sappho and Phaon. A Tragedy. 

Fenris, the Wolf. A Tragedy. 

A Garland to Sylvia. A Dramatic Reverie. 

The Scarecrow. A Tragedy of the Ludicrous. 

Yankee Fantasies. Five One-Act Plays. 

Mater. An American Study in Comedy. 

Anti-Matrimony. A Satirical Comedy. 

To-MoRROW. A Play in Three Acts. 

A Thousand Years Ago. A Romance of the Orient. 

COMMUNITY DRAMAS 

Caliban. A Community Masque. 

Saint Louis. A Civic Masque. 

Sanctuary. A Bird Masque. 

The New Citizenshie. A Civic Ritual. 

The Evergreen Tree. A Christmas Masque. 

OPERAS 

Sinbad, the Sailor. A Fantasy. 

The Immigrants. A Tragedy. 

The Canterbury Pilgrims. A Comedy. 

POEMS 

The Sistine Eve, and Other Poems. 

Uriel, and Other Poems. 

Lincoln. A Centenary Ode. 

The Present Hour. Poems of War and Peace. 

Poems and Plays. In Two Volumes. 

ESSAYS 

The Playhouse and the Play. 
The Civic Theatre. 
A Substitute for War. 
Community Drama. An Interpretation. 

ALSO {As Editor) 

The Canterbury Tales. A Modem Rendering into 

Prose. 
The Modern Reader's Chaucer (with Professor J. S. 

P. Tatlock). 



AT ALL BOOKSELLERS 




Dance-Carol of the Evergreen 

So we will slii^ our even-song 
And dance for thee, like king and gueen,- 
O Evergreen, dear Evergreen! — 
To make thy heart be merry. 



(Page 42) 



The 
EVERGREEN TREE 



PERCY, MACKA YE 




D. APPLETON AND COMPANY 

NEW YORK LONDON 



1917 



PaJjl., ^i,3^A<xL 



^'o'^ 






Copyright, 1917, by 
Percy MacKatb 



All Rights Reserved 



Note: For Information concerning Permission to 
produce this Masque or to read it in Public, see 
ANNOUNCEMENTS, on page 81 of this volume. 



Prmted in the United States of America 



QEC 19 1917 

©CI,A481058 



The 
EVERGREEN TREE 



A Masque of Christmas Time for 
Community Singing and Acting 



by 
PERCY MACKAYE 



With Scenic and Costume Designs 

by 

ROBERT EDMOND JONES 



Together with 

Three Monographs on the Masque 

written by 

the Author, the Scenic Designer, 

and 
ARTHUR FARWELL 
Composer of the Music 



To 



Those Friendly Thousands 

OF Men, Women and Children 

IN American Towns and Cities, Who Have 

Shared With the Author in His Masques 

A Common Devotion to the Happy Cause 

of a Communal Art 



This Masque is Dedicated 
in Christmas Fellowship 



PREFACE 

Always an evergreen tree points up at a star. 

Always a star looks somewhere down on the cradle 
of a child. 

Always, once in the year, a child laughs up at ever- 
green boughs. 

Tree, star and child are triune in the poetry of 
nature — a constellation of man that never sets. 

The antic mirth, the naive awe of paganism, the 
joy and passion of Christianity, are masks happy and 
tragic which the Folk Spirit of childhood has worn for 
ages, and shall wear for ages more, in ritual of a tree 
that never dies. 

On the verge of No-Man's-Land, where the blasted 
earth reels amid war's stench and thunder; in calm 
cathedrals, to caroUing choirs; by lonely chimney 
sides, or amid the young, tense assemblies of army 
camps, Christmas — this Christmas of our new age — 
grows again in the ancient greenness of a little tree. 

How may we, too, do it homage? 

Not forgetting the old simple merriment of folk days 
gone by, how shall we say — and sing — to our tree 
something of that deep response which we feel to-day 
to the creative sadness of our time? 

Our young men are going out to the war: our country 
is grappling the issue of a planet. Here is a dramatic 
conflict, not for us as spectators, but as participants. 
Here is a theme, not of the traditional theatre, but of a 



PREFACE 



communal drama, the action of which is at once a 
battle and a prayer. How may we take part together 
in expressing such a theme, at this new Christmas time? 

Surely it must be through some simple festival — 
chiefly of song, for song is elemental to us all : a festival 
in which our people — young, old, rich, poor, women, 
men, but chiefly our young soldiers — ^may share, out- 
doors or indoors, in a ritual, democratic and devo- 
tional, on a scale great or smaU, simple to act and 
symboHze: a drama not designed for a hollow amphi- 
theatre of spectators, but for a level-floored cathedral 
of communicants: a drama in which the goal of world 
liberty we battle for is clearly contrasted with its 
opposite, that we ourselves may not lose sight of our 
goal or swerve from it, as our common prayer, in the 
midst of battle. And there, as the focus-point of our 
festival and symbol of it — the tree of light: light of our 
own childhood and of the world's. 

I do not know whether this simple masque will prove 
worthy to help in creating such a festival for our new 
Christmas time — I can only wish and hope that it may. 



Percy MacKaye. 



Cornish, New Hampshire, 
September, 191 7. 



CONTENTS 

INTRODUCTORY 

PAGE 

Dedication ix 

Preface xi 

List of Illustrations xiv 

Persons and Groups xv 

Choruses and Carols xvi 

The Community Chorus xvii 

Time and Place xvii 

Quotation from St. Matthew xviii 

TEXT OF THE MASQUE IN TWELVE ACTIONS 

I. "Who Keepeth Watch?" i 

II. The Lantern in the Desert 9 

III. "Somebody is Coming!" 11 

IV. The Light-Child 14 

V. "Sword of the World" 21 

VI. The Befriending 28 

VII. The Three Wise Men 31 

VIII. "Which, O Lord, is Wisest?" 34 

IX. Outcasts 44 

X. The Wounded Pedlar 48 

XI. The Persecuting Host 53 

XII. The Morning Stars 54 

COMMENTARIES 

Community Prelude 69 

Community Epilude 72 

Three Monographs: 

I. Dramatizing Community Song, by Percy Mac- 

Kaye 73 

II. Community Music and the Composer, by Arthur 

Farwell 77 

III. Designs for "The Evergreen Tree," by Robert 

Edmond Jones 78 

Action of "The Evergreen Tree" 80 

Announcements Concerning Music and Production.. . 81 

xiii 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 

/. SCENES 
Dance-Carol of The Evergreen Frontispiece 

FACING PAGE / 

The Light-Child i6 



/ 
y 



Sword of the World 24 

The Three Wise Men 32 / 

Outcasts 44 "^ 

The Pedlar-King 62 -^ 

The Morning Stars 66 



//. GROUND-PLAN 69 



/' 



///. COSTUMES 

Gnome, Tree, Elf 78 / 

Bear, Wolf, Lion 78 '^ 

Joseph, Mary, Shepherds 78 

Host, Herod, Captain 78 

Belshasar, Caspar, Melchior 78 

Followers of Belshasar, Caspar, Melchior 78 ' 

Sorrow, Song, Death, Poverty 78 

Ruth, Claus, Children, Chorus B 78 i^ 



PERSONS AND GROUPS 
In the Order of their Appearance 

PERSONS* 

ELF 

GNOME 

TREE 

WOLF 

BEAR 

LION 

JOSEPH 
MARY (Mute) 
SHEPHERD 

CAPTAIN OF THE HOST OF HEROD 
HEROD 

BELSHASAR 

MELCHIOR 

CASPAR 

RUTH 

CLAUS 

SONG (Mute) 

SORROW (Mute) 

DEATH 

POVERTY (Mute) 

GROUPS 

SHEPHERDS 
HOST OF HEROD 

FOLLOWERS OF THE THREE KINGS 
OUTCASTS: FOLLOWERS OF SONG, SORROW AND 
POVERTY 

* For Army Camp productions, in camps where it may not be practicable 
to have women as acting principals, the two mute female figures, MARY 
and SONG, may — if necessary — be omitted, and RUTH be acted by some 
well-skilled youth, as was the custom in Elizabethan days. The part of 
TREE, in any production, may be acted either by a young woman or by a 
young man (in small-scale productions preferably by a young woman). 
ELF and GNOME are preferably acted by children: a girl and a boy, or — • 
if desirable — by two boys. In Chorus A, and in the first Semi-Chorus of 
the Outcasts, choir boys may, if need be, take the places of women. 

XV 



CHORUSES AND CAROLS 



CHORUSES* 



First Action 
Fourth Action 
Fourth Action 
Fifth Action 
Fifth Action 
Fifth and Eleventh 
Sixth Action 
Ninth Action 
Twelfth Action 



I. (A,i) 

II. (A,2) 

III. (A,3) 

IV. (B,i) 

V. (A,4 B,2) 

VI. and X. (B,3 and 4) 



Chorus of the Wilderness. 

Light of the World. 

The Star. 

The Might of Herod. 

The Wrath of Herod. 

Song of the Persecuting Host. 



VII. and VIII. (A, 5 and 6) Glory and Serenity. 
IX. (A, 7) Dirge of the Outcasts. 

XI. (A,8 and B,5) Chorus of the Christmas 

Tree. 

Part I: The Pedlar-King. 

Part II: The Tree. 

Part III: The Child. 



Second Action 


I. 


Third Action 


2. 


Fourth Action 


3- 


Fourth Action 


4. 


Seventh Action 


5- 


Eighth Action 


6. 


Eighth Action 


7. 


Tenth Action 


8. 



CAROLS* 

Joseph's Carol. 

Fairy Round. 

Luck Song. 

The Tree-Child's Lullaby. 

"We Three Kings of Orient Are." 

The Bell, the Sword and the Laughter. 

Dance-Carol of the Evergreen. 

Ballad of the Kings and the Pedlar. 



* In modified small-scale productions of the Masque, where it may be 
impracticable to render all the music in its completeness, the Carols alone 
may be sung. In that event, the Choruses should not be wholly omitted, 
but may be rendered as Choral Poems spoken in chanted speech by properly 
qualified leaders (at Stage A and Stage B), as indicated in the "Guide to 
the Evergreen Tree" pamphlet, referred to in the Announcements on the 
last page of this volume. 



THE COMMUNITY CBORUS 
is in two divisions, as follows: 

CHORUS A, in White: Men and Women: located near 
Stage A. 

CHORUS B, in Red: Men: located near Stage B. 



TIME AND PLACE 

TIME 

The Time is laid on a night shortly after the birth 
of Christ. 

PLACE* 

The Masque takes place in Four Regions, indicated 
by Two Stages, and Two Aisles, the Audience being 
located between the two stages. 

Stage A represents the Place of Outcasts: a knoll, 
with path, in the Wilderness, before the Evergreen Tree. 

Stage B (located opposite Stage A) represents the 
Place of Empire : the Gateway and Steps to the Palace 
of Herod 

Aisle I (located on the right of Stage B, as one faces 
Stage A) represents a Pathway from the land of Herod 
into the Wilderness. 

Aisle II (located on the left of Stage B and parallel 
to Aisle I) represents another Pathway into the Wilder- 
ness. 

* See Ground Plan opposite page 69. 
* xvii 



From the Gospel of Saint Matthew: 
Chapter II 

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of 
Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, 
there came Wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 
saying, "Where is he that is born King of the 
Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and 
are come to worship him." 

When Herod the king had heard these things, 
he was troubled. ... 

And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, 
"Go and search dihgently for the young child; 
and when ye have found him, bring me word 
again, that I may come and worship him also." 

When they had heard the king, they departed; 
and lo, the star, which they saw in the east, 
went before them, till it came and stood over 
where the young child was. . . . 

And being warned of God in a dream that they 
should not return to Herod, they departed into 
their own country another way. 

Now when they were departed, behold an angel 
of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, 
saying, "Arise and take the young child and his 
mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there 
until I tell thee: for Herod will seek the young 
child to destroy him." 

And he arose and took the young child 
and his mother by night, and departed into 
Egypt. . . . 

Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked 
of the Wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent 
forth, and slew all the children that were in 
Bethlehem, and in all the borders thereof, from 
two years old and imder. 



zviu 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 




FIRST ACTION 

("Who Keepeth Watch?") 

STAGE A: THE PLACE OF OUTCASTS 

'T is night. 

In a dark place of the wilderness, a tree 
is growing. 
Before it is an open space on a knoll, from 
which — left and right — a path leads down away into the 
desert. 

At one side, in shadow, sit ELF and GNOME. 
At centre, in starlight, stands TREE, half emerged from 
dim boughs. 

CHORUS 

Who keepeth watch in the lone wilderness First Chorus.- A,i. 

ri ,1 ' /• ' o Chorus of the 

For the coming of a sign? ^ wilderness 

Who sendeth her roots down into the dark places 

Seeking the springs of life. 

And is restored: 

And lifteth up her boughs in prayer of quiet, 

And lo, they are filled with starlight? 

The Tree: the Tree keepeth watch for the com- 
ing of a sign. 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



Who waiteth very patiently in the night desert 

For dawn of a new morrow? 

And the wild beasts draw near unto her: they are tired 

But none is afraid. 

For her lap is like to a mother s, where little children 

Play till they weary and sleep: 

There dryads bring her their dreams. 

And the fairy folk are at home. — 

Who liveth very old, alive with young green. 

And waketh her heart with song for the coming of 

light? 
The Tree: the Tree: 
The Tree keepeth watch in her heart for the coming 

of light. 

(A long wailing cry resounds from the dark.) 
THE VOICE 



Hi-ih! 



What's that? 



ELF 



GNOME 

That is Wolf. 

He's coming from the desert. He is lonely. 

ELF 

Why is he coming here? 

2 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



GNOME 

Tree is here. 

All the creatures come to Tree, when they are lonely. 

ELF 

Even Tree seems lonely to-night, 
With eyes that look far away. — 
Tree, what are you watching for? 

TREE 
A star. 

ELF 

But the sky is filled with starlight. 

TREE 

I am watching for a new star. 

I have been waiting for it a long while. 

I think I shall see it again soon. 

GNOME 
Again? — Have you seen it before? 

TREE 

Yes: once: 

One night, not long ago, 

I saw it rising in the east, across the desert. 

It made a path of wonderful shining. 

Then it stood still in the sky — far over yonder! — ■ 

And seemed I heard shepherds singing. 

3 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



(Wolf enters.) 

WOLF 

Hi-ihl It's a cold night. 

I want to come out of the wind. 

GNOME 
Ask Tree. 

WOLF 

High-o I Green-and-alive ! 

Can a fellow come out of the wind, here? 

TREE 
Welcome, Wolf. 

WOLF 
And what may you three be talking about? 







ELF 






A star. 




GNOME 






A new 


star in the east. 








(Noises of 


puffing and growling 
THE NOISES 


are 


heard.) 


Ooffl- 


-Ah-yarrrI 


ELF 






Who now? 












4 







THE EVERGREEN TREE 



GNOME 

That's Bear and Lion coming. 
They're tired and sleepy. 

(Bear and Lion enter. 
Bear carries a bee-hive; Lion, a large bone.) 

BEAR 
Ooff ! Ooff ! Where's a hollow to sleep in? 

GNOME 
Ask Tree. 

TREE 
Welcome, Bear! Break a bough for your pillow. 

WOLF 
(Edging away) 
Hi! Not my tail! 

LION 

Ah-yarrr! I'm tired of killing. 
Where can I bury my bone? 

GNOME 

Ask Tree! 

TREE 
Welcome, Lion. Lay your head on my roots and rest. 

5 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



LION 

Yarrr ! It's a night of cold. 

You kill nothing, Bear: how do you keep so fat? 

WOLF 

His belly is full of wild honey. — 
Here! he's soft and round: 
Keep him in the middle. 

BEAR 
Three are warmer than one. Go to sleep. 

(Wolf and Lion lean against Bear. 
Slowly all fall into slumber and low snoring.) 

THE THREE 

(Murmuring together) 

Hi-yo!— Ooff! Ooff!— Ah-yarrr! 

ELF 
And why do you wish the star to come, Tree? 

TREE 
Because of my dream. 

GNOME 
What dream? 

6 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



TREE 

Because I have dreamed a new star will come in the 

night; 
And will gather all the old stars out of the heaven 
To sparkle upon my branches. 
And there they shall sing all together. 
And in the midst of them the new star 
Shall laugh aloud, 
Shall laugh like a young child, 
And my boughs shall be as sheltering arms to make 

him a home. 
And there we shall dwell no more, dreadful in the 

desert, 
Where wild beasts kill one another, and weary of 

killing; 
And there shall be no more lonely things; 
But there shall be carolling of stars and a young child's 

laughter; 
And I shall be the angel in his home. 

ELF 
The wild beasts are fast asleep. 

GNOME 
Nothing is stirring in the world. 

ELF 
Yes: look! I think I see — 

GNOME 

Where? 

7 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 

ELF 

Don't you see — there! through the dark: 
It is moving towards us. 

GNOME 
I think I hear some one singing. 

ELF 
It is drawing nearer. 

TREE 
O my dear dream! 

ELF AND GNOME 
Is it the new star? 

TREE 

Yes; but it has fallen down out of the heaven. 

It has made itself very small and lowly. 

It has made itself into a little lantern, 

To light the feet of them who wander in the wilderness. 

ELF 
See! 

GNOME 
Hark. 




SECOND ACTION 
(The Lantern in the Desert) 

AISLE I: A PATHWAY INTO THE WILDERNESS 

'OVING toward the Tree, a Procession enters 
singing. 

First comes JOSEPH in white. He holds 
high a tall staff, from which a swinging lantern 
shines. Behind him comes, in pale blue, MARY, at- 
tended by Shepherds in white. These carry lighted 
candles and long crooks, and they are ranged about a 
Manger, borne in their midst. 

JOSEPH 
As Joseph I was walking, Carol j. 

I heard an angel sing: •'°"^ 

JOSEPH AND SHEPHERDS 

" This night shall he the birthnight 
Of Christ our heavenly King. 

His birth-bed shall be neither 

In housen nor in hall, 
Nor in the place of paradise, 

But in the oxen's stall. 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



He neither shall he rocked 

In silver nor in gold, 
But in the wooden manger 

That lieth on the mould. 

He neither shall he clothed 
In purple nor in pall, 

But in the fair white linen 
That usen hahies all.'' 

JOSEPH 

As Joseph I was walking 
Thus did the angel sing; 

JOSEPH AND SHEPHERDS 

And Mary's Son at midnight 
Was horn to he our King. 




THIRD ACTION 

("Somebody Is Coming!") 

STAGE A 

REE and the Fairies have watched and 
listened eagerly. 



TREE 
(To Elf and Gnome) 

Look, look ! The light is coming here. 

Rouse up the wild beasts, 

And let us make a welcome for these wanderers. 

TREE, ELF, GNOME 
(Sing in a round) 

Wolf, Bear, Lion! Carol 2. 

Wolf, Bear, Lion! ^""^y ^"""-^ 

Are you awake ? 
Are you awake ? 

Somebody is coming! 
Somebody is coming! 
II 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



LION 
(Waking and rubbing his eyes, joins in the round) 

Who can it he ? 
Who can it he ? 

BEAR 
(Rolling to his feet with an "Ooff !" imitates Lion) 

Lefs go and see! 
Lei's go and see! 

WOLF, BEAR AND LION 

(Scrambling down the path) 

Hi-ih! Ooff! Yarrr! 

TREE 

Peace, wild folk! Make a welcome for these new 
comers. 

LION 
(Grinning savagely) 

Welcome, they are! My mouth waters for them. 

WOLF 
(To Lion) 

Hi! Let me pass. 

I'll pick a bone with you — after the meat's gone. 

BEAR 

You talk loud, but you keep your tail between your 
legs. 

12 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



WOLF 

That's more than you can do — with yours I 

LION 
Now for a new kill ! 



FOURTH ACTION 

(The Light-Child) 

APPROACEING-SPACE and STEPS A; Then, STAGE A 

PPROACHING along the path, JOSEPH and 
his Group pause, confronted by the BEASTS. 




JOSEPH 
God save you, Sir Lion! 

LION 
Save yourself, Sir Man — if you can. 

WOLF 
Look sharp : there's more there behind. 

BEAR 
They carry a trough there. What's in it? 

SHEPHERD 

Keep off ! — Aim your blows, fellows : strike ! 

(The Shepherds, with their crooks, drive back the Beasts. 
Joseph intervenes.) 

14 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



JOSEPH 

Stay, good Shepherds! Put away your crooks. 
Fear nothing, Mary. 

These wild folk crave our leave to behold the Child 
And do Him homage. 

LION 
Man-child ! — Yarrr ! 

JOSEPH 

(Pausing before the Evergreen Tree) 

Pray you set down the manger. Now, Sir Beasts, 
And you. Elf Folk, will it please you draw near and 
look in? 

(On either side the Shepherds draw back, revealing at centre 
the Manger, out from which a wonderful glow shines 
upward, touching the faces of the Shepherds and hush- 
ing the Beasts with awe.) 

TREE 
The light! The light! 

CHORUS 

Where sleepeth till dawn-break the light of the new Second Ckoms: j,2 

o Lieht of the World 

morrow? ^ 

Alleluia! 
Lo, as a babe, it sleepeth in a little manger: 
Light of the World! Alleluia! 

The dark is his cradle; 
The beasts come about him; 
The stars in their watches 
Are covered with cloud. 

15 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



Home hath he none; 
The desert receives him — 
The "place of outcasts 
And lonely things. 

No sound is heard there 
Save shepherds singing; 
The lords of earth 
Avert their faces; 
Dark — dark is his cradle. 

Yet surely will dawn break with light of his new 
morrow: 

Alleluia! 
Yea, for the babe that sleepeth in a little manger 

Is Light of the World: Alleluia! 

(The Fairies and Beasts peer in the Manger with awed 
delight. Murmuring aloud, they speak to Joseph.) 

ELF 
May we not dance for him? 

GNOME 
And make gambols? 

LION 

May I give him my bone? 'Twill make him a rare 
toy! 

BEAR 

Ooff ! — If he lie in my lap, my fur will warm him. 

i6 




The Light-Child 



CHORUS 

Where sleepeth till dawn-break the light of the new morrow? 

Alleluia! 
Lo, as a babe it sleepeth in a little manger: 
Light of the Worldl Alleluia! 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



WOLF 
Look-ee! If I wag my tail for him, he will laugh. 

JOSEPH 
Hush! He is asleep. Please do not wake Him. 

(The Beasts draw back. 
Kneeling down with Elf and Gnome, all Five sing together.) 

THE BEASTS AND FAIRIES 

While this Light-Child sleeping lies, Carol 3. 

Word or murmur never wake him! ^^^^ ^""^ 

But when he shall open his eyes, 
Mirth and antics we will make him. 
Amen! 

JOSEPH 

Thank you, friends, for your courtesies; 

But now the night grows old, and we are weary of 
wandering. 

Out of the land of Herod we are fled, and go into Egypt. 

Mary and Joseph are we, and Jesus, the little Child, 

Whom these good Shepherds bear with us in his birth- 
cradle. 

Now we must needs find shelter for the babe to rest. 

TREE 

Now welcome, Mary and Joseph, and Jesus, the little 

Child! 
Rest you, I pray, with these Shepherds, under my 

boughs. 

17 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



JOSEPH 
Gentle Tree, you say kindly. 

SHEPHERD 
(To Mary, with gladness) 

Here Herod can never harm Him, Lady dear. 

TREE 
Who is Herod, that he would harm a little child? 

JOSEPH 

Herod is lord of the world — there, in the land we have 

fled from. 
Mighty is he, yet afraid : for out of the east 
Three Wise Men followed a star to this poor manger. 
Telling Herod a little child should inherit his kingdom. 
Mighty is Herod, yet trembles now on his throne, 
And wishes this Little One death. 

SHEPHERD 
But shall never find Him! 

JOSEPH 

Nay, for none in Herod's kingdom knows 
Where Child and Mother and Manger and guiding Star 
Are vanished away. Only you, dear folk of the desert. 
Share now our secret. 

TREE 

And shall ward it full well. 

So enter into my shelter, with your good Shepherds, 

Joseph and Mary and Manger-Child — and rest. 

i8 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



(Tree and Mary pass behind within shadow. As the 
Shepherds with the Manger follow, a sweet, lulUng 
VOICE sings from within.) 



THE VOICE 



Babe of my love, c<^^o^ 4- 

The Tree-Child^ s 



Lull thee to rest! 
Bird of my heart, 
Night is thy nest. 

Evergreen hough, 
Shadow my babel 
Shelter my bird, 
Evergreen bough! 

Star of my dreams, 
Soon thou wilt shine: 
Dream of the stars. 
Splendor be thine! 

Evergreen bough, 
Shine with my Star! 
Shelter his dreams, 
Evergreen bough! 



(Joseph, pausing a moment before he follows, speaks to 
his lantern.) 

19 



Lullaby 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



JOSEPH 

Now lantern, that dost hide His holy light, 
Show forth on high thy Httle Master's star! 

(He blows out the lantern. 

Instantly a shining Star appears on the top of the Tree. 
Staring upward with gestures of surprise, the Creatures 
murmur aloud.) 

BEASTS, ELF AND GNOME 

The star! The star! 

(In wonder, while the Chorus sings, they follow after the 
others.) 

CHORUS 

yrdChorus:A,3. Where shineth in whiteness the star of the new 

^he Star -.^ ^ 

Master: 

Alleluia! 
Lo, from the tree that sheltereth a child's dreaming 
Shineth His star: Alleluia! 




FIFTH ACTION 

("Sword of the World") 

STAGE B: THE PLACE OF EMPIRE 

rATEWAY and Steps in front of HEROD'S 
Palace. 

With spears and in armor, the CAPTAIN 
and the Host of Herod are assembling. 
With deep, pounding reverberation, Voices of the male 
Chorus conflict with the far, high singing of the other 
Chorus, now dying away. 

CHORUS 

Herod-Herod-Herod-Herod, the mighty 'ZlZZ^^^o, 

Lord of the world! 
Hail him, hail him, hail him Herod the Master! 

Bow to his will! 

His power what star can confound? 
Or cloud can darken his splendor, 
Who bindeth his brow with the lightning 
And girdeth his loins with the storm! 



21 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



For he maketh the world of men 

The winnowing floor of his glory: 

And he weareth the mail of the Most High, 

And shareth the mantle of God. — 

Millions obey him, 
Man is his tool. 

Forth on his errands 
Fly his red legions; 
Domes of his dwelling 
Glow in the dawn. 

Fire — flre 
Forgeth his empire; 
Slaves — slaves 
Rear his dominion; 
Sowing and harvest 
Bleed in his furrows; 

Peace is his footstool. 
War is his crown, 

Herod — Herod — Herod — Herod, the mighty 
Lord of the world! 

(Beside the gate, the Captain of the Host strikes a deep- 
toned gong and calls aloud.) 

CAPTAIN 

Herod ! Herod, the most High ! 

22 



The evergreen tree 



(HEROD comes forth with his Followers. 

Clad in long robe of Tyrian purple, he wears on his head 
a gold hehnet. 

In his hand, he holds a great staff, surmounted by a 
globe of the world.) 

HEROD 

Who calls so loud at my gate? 

CAPTAIN 
I, Captain of the Host of Herod. 

HEROD 
Why do you cry on my name? 

CAPTAIN 

For I am come at your bidding, King of Men. 
Lo, we are here to do your command. 

HEROD 

My command I gave you, to bring unto me three Wise 

Men, 
Kings of the East. Show them before me now. 

CAPTAIN 

Most High, they are not here. We have made far 

searching 
But they are vanished away. 

HEROD 
Where are they gone? 

CAPTAIN 
No man has seen. 

23 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



HEROD 
Where shines their star? 

CAPTAIN 
Heaven has no sign. 

HEROD 

Where was he found — the child they worshipped? 

CAPTAIN 
Lowly he lay, in a poor manger. 

HEROD 
Now bring him before me! 

CAPTAIN 
He too has departed. 

HEROD 

My command! My command! My command! 
Have ye not slain him? Speak! 

CAPTAIN 

Herod, most High, how shall the vanished be slain? 
No sign gives us token 

Where child and mother and manger and guiding star 
Are vanished away. 

HEROD 

Powers of my crown and throne ! Am I not Herod, 
Herod, the Mighty? Who shall defeat my power? 

(Close by, from the Place of Empire, deep Choral 
Voices reiterate HEROD'S boasts of triumph; far 
oflf, from the Place of Outcasts, they are answered in 
antiphony by high, sweet Choirs, aflBirming his defeat.) 

24 




Sword of the World 



CHORUS B 
Eerod, our lord and king! Who shall defy his command? 

CHORUS A 
A star! A star shall confound him! 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



CHORUS B 

Herod, our lord and king! Who shall defy his Fifth Chorus: 

Herod 
CHORUS A B,2,ReiUraiive 

A star! A star shall confound him. A, 4, Amiphonai 

HEROD 

Am I the Sword of the World, and shall a weakling 
disarm me? 

CHORUS B 

How shall the crook of a shepherd shatter the sword B, 2, Reiterative 
of a king? 

CHORUS A 

A child! A child shall disarm him! A,4,Antiphonai 

HEROD 

Hath God anointed me, yea, and shall a babe disin- 
herit? 

CHORUS B 

Lo, shall the light of a manger outshine his glory B, 2, Reiterative 
of "palaces? 

CHORUS A 

A dream! A dream shall survive him! a, 4, Antiphond 

25 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



Sixth Chorus: B, 3. 
Song of the Perse- 
cuting Host 



HEROD 

Now, by my host of power ! he shall not escape me — 

This babe low-born, but for his sake shall all 

The hosts of childhood perish. Go forth and slay them. 

All newly bom of women, that he among them 

May not escape, and all who shall resist 

My power, young men or old, brothers or fathers. 

Destroy them likewise — yea, with red fire and spear 

And burning sword-blade. Go ! My will is God's, 

For I am Herod — Herod, lord of the world! 

(Raising his sword, the Captain makes sign to the Host, who 
lift high their spears. As the Chorus breaks into song, 
they depart, marching, while Herod reenters his palace.) 

CHORUS 

Go forth, ye host of 'power! 

Lay waste, lay waste the lowly! 
For Herod's might is a blazing tower. 
And Herod's wrath is holy. 
Yea, Herod's wrath 
God's ire it hath 
As he rends the weak asunder. 
Go forth upon his fiery path 
Go forth, ye host, in thunder! 

The strong, the strong shall reign! 
Unleash the hounds of pain. 

And loose their cry 

Where the wounded lie 
And the weakling race are slain. 
26 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



Go forth, ye host of 'power! 

Destroy, destroy the dreaming! 
For none may pause for a dream to flower 
Where Herod's might goes streaming. 
Yea, Herod'' s might 
God maketh His right 
When the weak of the world go under. 
Go forth upon their darkling flighty 
Go forth, ye host, in thunder! 



SIXTH ACTION 
(The Befriending) 



STAGE A 

'OW, from the Place of Outcasts, Choral 
Voices sing, while once more JOSEPH, 
MARY and Shepherds bearing the Man- 
ger appear, coming forth from the shelter 
of the Evergreen. With them TREE also appears. 




Seventh Chorus: 
A, 5. Glory and 
Serenity 



CHORUS 

Glory and serenity. 

Beauty of desire. 
Bless to-night this holy tree 

And our candle fire. 
Tree of our hearts, behold! 

How the dreams of a child in your boughs unfold 
And the weary of earth put off their pain 
Where the Child of our love has lain, 

28 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



JOSEPH 

Shepherd, the morrow's light will soon begin 
To wake the desert world. Here we have lain 
This night in quiet refuge; yet through sleep 
I heard far off the host of Herod rage 
Against this Child His kingdom. So once more 
Let us go forth our way, till He is safe 
Beyond the war-lord's might. 

SHEPHERD 

Yea, let us go, 
Yet not till we have thanked this gentle Tree. 

JOSEPH 

Dear Tree, you have befriended in his need 
This Httle Child new-bom. So — for His sake — 
Your gracious boughs shall evermore be green, 
Nor ever in winter lose their April sap, 
But freshly, at this season of His birth, 
They shall he fragrant of the hallowed dreams 
His happy heart bequeathes you. 

TREE 

He was welcome, 
And I will deck my boughs with infant joys 
In his remembrance. 



SHEPHERD 

So we say — God keep you! 
And not 'Goodbye'! 

29 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



JOSEPH 
(To Tree) 

Nay, still another token 
We leave with you: His star — to be henceforth 
A morning star of song for other children 
Who rest from Herod's wrath. So you shall be 
No more a forest sprite, but a hallow'd angel — 
His shining angel with a sheathed sword 
To guard all childhood's home. Keep here his star: 
Farewell! 

TREE 

O fare you well, dear wanderers, 
That have fulfilled with love my lonely dream! 

(With lighted candles, in processional, the Shepherds with 

Manger, Mary and Joseph depart toward the desert. 

While the Chorus sings. Tree stands gazing after them.) 



CHORUS 

Eighth Chorus: A,6. Glory and serenity y 

Glory and Serenity Beauty of desire, 

Blend the song of men set free 
With their children's choir. 
Child of our hearts, behold! 
How the dark is strewn with your fairy gold 
And the bitter of soul lay-by their spleen 
Where the Tree of our love grows green. 

(Tree goes within.) 




SEVENTH ACTION 

(The Three Wise Men) 

AISLE II: ANOTHER PATHWAY INTO THE 
WILDERNESS 

'NTERING from its farther end appear, in 
procession, the THREE WISE MEN, and 
their Followers. Lighted by torches of 
their Attendants, this Pageant of the 
Kings moves onward in oriental splendor. 
Each EJNG wears a crown of gold. 
The crown of the youngest, BELSHASAR, is set on a 
turban. He is clean shaven, pale and recluse. The garb 
of him and his Group has a tone of asceticism. 

The crown of the middle-aged, MELCHIOR, is placed 
on a hehnet. He is thick-set, black-bearded and sharp- 
eyed. A martial glitter touches him and his Group. 

The crown of the oldest, CASPAR, is set on a high-peaked 
hat with wide flapping brims. His beard is silver white, 
his face ruddy and wrinkled with laughter. His ample 
gown is gorgeous with red dyes and jewels. Like him in 
jocular splendor are his Followers. 

31 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



Carol 4. 

Trio and Chorus: 
"■We Three Kings 
of Orient Are" 



As they approach the place of the Tree, KINGS and 
Followers come singing a carol, led by the KINGS. 

BELSHASAR, MELCHIOR AND CASPAR 

TRIO 

We three kings of Orient are: 
Wending home, we traverse afar 

Field and fountain 

Moor and mountain 
Seeking for our lost star. 

CHORUS 
(Of the Three Kings and their Followers) 

Star of Wonder, 

Star of Night, 
Star with royal beauty bright! 

Eastward leading. 

Home proceeding. 
Show once more Thy perfect light! 



TRIO 

Where the guiding glory once shone 
Dark we wander onward and on^ 

Watching, hoping, 

Dimly groping, 
Seeking the light thaVs gone. 

32 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



CHORUS 

Star of Wonder, 

Star of Night, 
Star with royal beauty bright! 

Eastward leading. 

Home proceeding. 
Show once more Thy perfect light! 




EIGHTH ACTION 

("Which. O Lord, is Wisest?") 

STAGE A 

HE THREE KINGS enter before the Tree, 
their Followers grouped on the right. As he 
comes, King CASPAR lifts his voice in a 
carol, solo, in which BELSHASAR and MEL- 
CHIOR soon join with him. Each of them, in his singing, 
acts out the sung carol in his bearing and movement. 

CASPAR 
Caro/ 5. ^ Lord of life! how pleasant ways 

Solo andTrto. a ,7 .,7 r j 

The Bell, the Su^ord ^^^ % P^^^'' ^/ ^^^^^^ 

and the Laughter Leading down froTYi Herod's place 

By an ox's manger: 
Lo, there lay a little child 

Rosy 'neath the rafter. — 
Ahaha! how glad he smiled! 

Lord, how blithe his laughter! 

MELCHIOR 
Laughter! Nay, I heard none laugh. 
Whom thou heardest — say now! 

34 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



CASPAR 

Him, the child, where mid the chaff 

He lay on the hay-mow. 
Sure, Belshasar, thou didst bend 

Nigh him atid thou heardest. 

BELSHASAR 
Caspar, nay: I comprehend 
Not one thing thou wordest. 

CASPAR 
Ohoho! Still, Lord, I hear 
Music of that laughter. 

MELCHIOR 
Daft thou ever wert: I fear 

Still thou growest dafter. 
Nothing heard I, by my soul 

But a sword its clanging. 

BELSHASAR 
Nay, a bell, I heard it toll: 
On a cross 'twas hanging. 

MELCHIOR 
Now, am I not Melchior? 

By my crown its keeping! 
'Twas a sword that dangled o'er 

Where the babe lay sleeping. 

35 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



BELSHASAR 

Nay, a hell — a passing-hell: 
Lonely was Us ringing. 

CASPAR 
Ahaha! I heard full well 
'Merry Christmas!' singing. 

CASPAR, BELSHASAR AND MELCHIOR 

(Sing together) 

Lord, how may we wise men tell 

How to clothe our starkness? 
Song and sword and -passing-hell 

Lure us through the darkness. 
Send us sign of hidden things — 

Thou who naught despisest! 
Lo, of us three crowned kings. 

Which, Lord, is wisest? 

VOICES OF ELF AND GNOME 

(Echo in song, within) 

''Which, Lord, is wisest?'' 

(In songful laughter) 

Ohoho! Ahaha! 

CASPAR 

Lord, Lord, Thy sign! Harken, wise men, my brothers: 
Laughter, laughter He sends us for a sign! 

36 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



BELSHASAR 
Nay, voices of the desert places! 

MELCHIOR 

Mockings of midnight! 

ELF AND GNOME 
(Enter, laughing lyricly) 

Ohoho! Ahdha! 

CASPAR 
Heigh! What is here? Elf 1— Gnome! 

BELSHASAR 
Keep back! They are imps of evil. 

MELCHIOR 

Stay! Do not speak with them. Hush! 

(Caspar pays no heed, but greets the Fairies, who return his 
greeting with blithe bows.) 

CASPAR 

Now, neighbors, God rest you merry! 

ELF 
Welcome, Wise Man! 

37 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



GNOME 

Welcome, Sir King! 



MELCHIOR 
(To Belshasar) 
He speaks with them. 

BELSHASAR 
(To Melchior) 

Come. He is lost! 
(They draw away.) 

GNOME 
Where are you from — ^ye Kings? 

CASPAR 
From the East, returning home from Herod's land. 

ELF 
What went you there for to do? 

CASPAR 
To worship a new-bom Child. 

GNOME 
How did you find your way? 

CASPAR 
We followed a star. 

38 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



ELF AND GNOME 

(Nodding to each other) 

A star! 

CASPAR 

Yea, but our path now has lost it. — 
Why do ye laugh there so merry? 

ELF AND GNOME 
(Pointing) 
Look up! 

CASPAR 

The star! The star! 
Ho, Melchior, Belshasar, look up! 
His star — the star we have lost — is found: 
Behold, it shines on the tree! 

MELCHIOR 
I see no star. 

BELSHASAR 
'Tis darkness all. 

CASPAR 
What! Can you see nothing shining yonder? 

MELCHIOR 
Nothing. Your eyes are bleary with night. 

BELSHASAR 
Nay, he's grown old and merry and cracked. 

39 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



CASPAR 

Deaf to His laughter, blind to His star! 
God save you, Wise Men! Let me grow old 
And merry and cracked. 
And talk with His wild, silly creatures. 

(Enter Wolf, Bear and Lion.) 

BELSHASAR 
(To Melchior) 
Come farther! — ^Wild beasts they draw near. 

(They move aside into shadow.) 

CASPAR 
Halloa, goodman Bear! Good even! 

BEAR 

(Foriomly) 

Ooff! Ooff! My honey hive's empty. 

LION 
Look you! My bone is picked bare. 

WOLF 

I've never a bone left to pick. 
And I'm losing the fur on my tail. 

CASPAR 



Heigh, Master Wolf, Sir Lion! 
How come ye so down at heart? 

40 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



LION 
The Light-Child is gone on his way. 

WOLF 
When a fellow can't sing, he feels hungry. 

CASPAR 

Nay, neighbors, the Light-Child is with us; 
He smiles from His twinkHng star 
Yonder, yea laughs in His Ught 
And bids us make merry together 
For joy of His shining. — Hoho ! 
Bring hither my music, good fellows! 
Bring hither my fiddles and cakes 
To make Him a feast night. 

(From among Caspar's Followers, cakes and instruments 
are brought before him. To Wolf, Bear and Lion he 
gives each a cake; to Ele and Gnome a stringed in- 
stnmient.) 

Here, neighbors, 
Have each of you now a sweet frosting: 
Here's moon-cake and sim-cake and star-cake, 
To mind us His birth-time. And you — 
Here's tune-strings to play, while we sing 
To praise this good tree of His star. 

(Tree enters, winged, all in white.) 

ELF 
Look, look! Tree now is his angel. 

5 41 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



Carol 6. 
Dance-Carol 
of the Ever- 
green. 



TREE 

Welcome, dear passers in darkness! 
The Light-Child is gone on His way, 
But He leaves you His star, to make glad 
Your path in the wilderness. — ^Welcome 
Under His star! 



CASPAR 

Thank you, Tree. 
His star hath made merry our hearts 
To dance in His light — aye, to sing 
As we enter your place of His dreams. 
Come, neighbors, now bHthe be our carol! 

(With his sceptre for baton, Caspar leads in dance and song 
Wolf, Bear, Lion, Elf and Gnome, the Beasts holding 
their cakes, the Fairies playing their instruments. 
Joining in their blithe dance of devotion, the old King 
clutches the great flap of his crown, to keep it from 
joggling off.) 

ALL 
(Sing, to the strongly stressed dance-rhythm) 

Evergreen^ our Evergreen! 

Thy houghs are brave and bright 6' sheen, 

Thy bark and wood are live and strong 

And bonny with the berry. 
So we will sing our even-song 
And dance for thee, like king and queen. — 
Evergreen, dear Evergreenl — 

To make thy heart be merry. 
42 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



O Even-song, our Even-song, 
Thy notes this holy night belong 
To Him who came to heal our teen 

With love and starry leaven. 
His childhood keepeth ever green 
All hearts of creatures here that long — 
Even-song, dear Even-song — 

To make our earth His heaven. 

(Following Tree, they dance joyously within. 

Outside, Melchior, Belshasar and their Followers 
wait in the dimness.) 

BELSHASAR 
A bell ! I hear a bell tolling. 

MELCHIOR 
A sword! The clang of a sword! 




NINTH ACTION 

(Outcasts) 

STAGE B AND AISLE I 

'ROM the right of HEROD'S Gate sounds the 
toUing of bells — from the left, the clangor of 
swords. 
During this, HEROD comes forth and 
stands on his dais. There, in shifting light and darkness, 
Helmeted Men with swords hurry to him, confer in 
pantomime and depart. 

Then, as HEROD stands looking down from his height, 
there passes below him a Procession of Outcasts, 
which — amoving from Aisle II to Aisle I — passes on along 
Aisle I toward the Place of the Tree. When the last of 
this dirgeful Pageant has gone by him, HEROD returns 
in darkness within the gate. 

The Procession of Outcasts is accompanied by FOUR 
MASKED FIGURES in symbolic garb, and consists of 
the Followers of these, walking before and after a 
stretcher, borne at the middle of the Pageant. First of the 
Four is a Female Figure, SONG, who leads the Procession, 
looking upward; last, is a Male Figure, POVERTY, bowed 
in stature. The other two Male Figures walk at the head 

44 




o 

H 

8 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



and foot of the stretcher, the first being SORROW, staring 
before him, the second one — DEATH, who bears a muffled 
babe in his arms, lulling it, with a calm smile. 

On the stretcher a Poor Man lies wounded — a PEDLAR, 
with his pack for a head-rest. He wears a red jerkin and 
great boots and a workman's cap. His beard is brown. 
His face is pale, his side bandaged. In one hand he holds 
a broken sword. The Man is CLAUS, whose Wife, RUTH, 
walks beside him, in peasant garb. At his other side walk 
two small tattered Figures — a BOY and a GIRL, their 
children. 

As all pass slowly onward, the Outcasts chant their 
song-dirge, out of which rises momentarily, first, the Voice 
of RUTH, then of CLAUS, while at times Full Chorus gives 
deeper volume to the singing. Rhythms of tolled bells 
and of clanging swords accompany the two Semi-Choruses. 

THE OUTCASTS 

(Semi-Chorus of Women) 

Bells, hells of the dark! ^»«'* Chorus: A,7. 

rri r ' 7 , , Dirge of the Outcasts 

1 ongues of iron and terror! 
Toll no more, no more, 
Bells of my breaking heart! 

RUTH 
Beautiful I bore him, 
Babe of my life and milk: 

45 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



Wonderful I wore hinij 
Yea^ as a scarf of silk: 
Terrible — terrible — 
They tore him! 

THE OUTCASTS 
(Semi-Chorus of Women) 

Bells of my breaking heart, 
Toll no more, no more, 
Tongues of iron and terror y 
Bells, bells of the dark! 

FULL CHORUS 

(Men and Women) 
God! — God of the broken heart! 

Lord of the tolling hell! 
God, our God, if thou art, if thou art. 
Tell us, our Father, tell: 
How darkly long 
Shall the reign of the strong 
Endure, to make of Thine earth our hell. 
Ere thou, Lord of the bleeding dart. 
Rise in Thy light, to quell? 

THE OUTCASTS 
(Semi-Chorus of Men) 

Swords, swords in my soul! 
Tongues of fire and horror! 
Clang aloud, aloud. 
Swords of my burning heart! 

46 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



CLAUS 

Newly horn I named him 
Babe of my joy and ruth: 
Kin of heart I claimed him^ 
Yea, as my star of youth: 
Murderous — murderous — 
They maimed him! 

THE OUTCASTS 
(Semi-Chorus of Men) 

Swords of my burning heart! 
Clang aloud, aloud, 
Tongues of fire and horror, 
Swords, swords in my soul! 

FULL CHORUS 

(Men and Women) 

God! — God of the burning soul! 

Lord of the clanging sword! 
God, our God, from Thy kindling goal, 
Answer us, answer. Lord! 
How far and blind 
Shall the kings of our kind 
Beguile our hearts on their paths abhorred. 
Ere thou, Christ of a race made whole. 
Come in Thy world-accord? 




Carol 8. 
Trio and Solo. 
Ballad of the Kings 
and the Pedlar 



TENTH ACTION 
(The Wounded Pedlar) 

STAGE A 

HILE the Outcasts have been approaching, 
CASPAR has come forth from the Place of the 
Tree and watched them coming. 

Now, where he joins BELSHASAR and 
MELCHIOR, the THREE KINGS caU, in song, to the 
dim Figures who draw near. 

THE THREE KINGS 
Who are ye that come singing in darkness, 
Outcast in the desert so late? 
CLAUS 
Kings, it is me, Claus the Pedlar, 
And these he my children and mate, 

THE THREE KINGS 

Who are those there, your comrades, beside you: 

Those shadows, say, who should they be? 

CLAUS 

They be Death, and his young brother, Sorrow, 

And his old brother. Poverty. 

48 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



THE THREE KINGS 

Nay, hut who is that other amidst them, 
That lifteth her face: What is she? 

GLAUS 

That is Song, and she is their sister 
Who waiteth upon them, all three. 

(Glaus, Ruth and the two Ghildren have now joined the 
Three Kings.) 

GASPAR 
Goodman, why are the eyes of your woman 
So weary of look and so wild? 

GLAUS 
He hath broken our home, hath King Herod, 
And killed us our new-born child. 

Now tell us, ye Kings that be Wise Men, 

Now tell us, where darkly we roam: 
What right hath a king of a pedlar 

To rob him his child and his home? 

MELGHIOR 
A king hath the right of his power 
To raise high his glory and crown. 

GLAUS 
Then ifs Claus hath the right of a pedlar 
To pull his high glory adown. 

49 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



CASPAR 

A king hath his host and- his captains 
To shatter the weak with his horde, 
CLAUS 

Then it^s Claus he will he his own captain 
To sharpen the edge of his sword. 

BELSHASAR 

Nay, a king hath the might of his lordship 

^Tis death for his slave to defy. 
CLAUS 
Then it's me hath the right of my manship 

To master his might or to die. 

For His God is my King and not Herod, 

And God he keepeth no slave; 
And liever than live Herod^s henchman 

ril lie a free man in the grave. 

So I dared him his host and his captains. 
And struck for my babe a sword blow; 

And His here they have broken my body; 
With Death now right soon must I go. 
CASPAR 

Nay, cheerly, Claus! Cheerly, goodwife and kiddies! 
Now you have wandered to a lucky place. 
Our Evergreen shall heal your hurt. Run, Elf, 
And fetch him balsam gum to balm his wounds. 
(Elf runs within.) 

SO 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



CLAUS 

No balsam gum can heal us our lost babe. 
Ruth, wife, where lieth now his little body? 

RUTH 
Death holds him fast. Death holdeth him forever. 

MELCHIOR 

Herod is king. Ye should have awe of kings 
And bow before them. 

BELSHASAR 

We are kings and wise, 
And warn you what you owe to Herod. 

CLAUS 

Herod! 
I have paid back to Herod all I owe him — 
The red blade of this broken sword. 

CASPAR 

Brave said! 
Give me the hasp. See, we will hang it here 
On this green bough, to be your shining cross 
Of freedom and remembrance — ^yea, a sign 
For Herods, when they pass, to pause and think on. 

MELCHIOR 
(To Belshasar) 

He flouteth what we say! 

(Belshasar shrugs, but motions MELcmoR to listen. 
Elf returns.) 

SI 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



CASPAR 

So, Pedlar Claus, 
Lay-by thy pack, and rest you here till morrow; 
Tend him, good Elf and Gnome. Now, mother, 

bravely ! 
These beasties shall make hospitality 
And share their holy frost-cakes with your children. 
Wiping their eyes with love: And these war-weary, 
Glad of our Evergreen, shall take new hope 
From yon clear star. 

(He helps Claus to rise and supports him to the foot of the 
Tree, where he places his pack for Claus to recline. 
The stretcher is borne away. 
Far ofif, a long blast sounds.) 

BELSHASAR 

Hark, hark! What trimipet calls? 

MELCHIOR 
'Tis Herod's host. Take heed ! 

RUTH 

God shield us now! 

(She turns toward Caspar, who comforts her and the CmLDREN.) 



ELEVENTH ACTION 

(The Persecuting Host) 




AISLE I AND AISLE II 

'DURING forth from the Place of Empire, the 
Host of Herod and their Leaders, with 
spears held high, come marching on both 
pathways toward the Tree, singing in chorus 
as they march. 

CHORUS 

Go forth, ye host of power! 

Enslave, enslave the humble! 
*Fore Herod's host their hearts shall cower ^ 
Their huilded hopes shall crumble. 
Yea, Herod's host 
Shall trample them most 
Where they build their shrines of wonder. — 
Go forth with Vengeance' war-red ghost, 
Go forth, go forth in thunder! 



Tenth Chorus: B,4, 
Song of the Perse- 
cuting Host 




TWELFTH ACTION 

(The Morning Stars) 

STAGE A 

TAYING his FoUowers, the CAPTAIN OF 
THE HOST approaches the THREE KINGS 
by the Tree. 

In his hand he bears the Staff of Herod. 

CAPTAIN 

Halt here! — Behold them. They are found. 
Stand forth, ye Kings of East! What make ye 
So far from Herod's throne? 

MELCHIOR 

We journey home. 

CAPTAIN 

Know ye not Herod's wrath, what 'tis! — 
Why brought ye not your tidings back 
To him? Where is the Manger-Child? 

MELCHIOR 
We know him not. 

BELSHASAR 
Our trail we lost. 
His star is dark. 

54 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



CASPAR 

Nay, shineth yonder! 

CAPTAIN 

(Staring) 
Where shineth? 

BELSHASAR 
He is old and daft. 

MELCHIOR 

Hail, Captain of our lord his host ! 
Welcome you are in Herod's name. — 

CLAUS 
(Rising painfully) 

Nay, curst is he in Herod's name. — 
Give back my babe ! 

CAPTAIN 

(Strikes him with his staff.) 

Take hence thy life! 

(Claus falls back motionless. 
Death draws near and bends over him.) 

DEATH 
Come, Claus: Awake! Thy babe is here. 

CLAUS 

Friend Death, now raise me up. — Methought 
Thou hadst been deaf and dumb, but now 
We speak together. 

55 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



DEATH 

Here I hold 
Thy little babe. 

CLAUS 
(Taking the muffled child) 

O little babe, 
Now are we both in Death his arms 
Safe held from Herod's wrath. Be glad 
Thy father was not Herod's slave. 

(In his great cloak Death leads him away. 
Ruth stares after them.) 

RUTH 
Claus! Claus! — Now Death hath taken him. 

CASPAR 

Poor woman, do not weep for Claus. 
Friend Death is kind. 

RUTH 

Now are we left 
Alone, and none to shield us. 

CASPAR 

Yea, 
A king shall shield ye. 

CAPTAIN 

King! What king 
Would shield these Herod's outcasts? 

56 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



CASPAR 

One 
That's old and merry and cracked, and wears 
This crown of Caspar, king of babes 
Made fatherless. 

MELCHIOR 
(To the Captain, shrewdly) 
You hear? 

BELSHASAR 

He's mad! 

CAPTAIN 

Nay, give me sign what manner wise men 

And longs you are. Make sign, ye three, 

Now to this stafif; for, by its power! 

All lesser kings who bow them not 

To Herod's staff shall lose their crowns. 

Bow! Bow ye low to Herod, lord of the world! 

MELCHIOR 
(Bows low to the staff.) 

Herod, most High! 

CAPTAIN 
Thy crown keep safe. 

BELSHASAR 
(Bows low to the staflf.) 

Herod, the Mighty! 

57 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



CAPTAIN 
Keep thy crown. 

CASPAR 
(Remains standing, and smiles.) 

Herod, the Poor! 

CAPTAIN 

What now! How name ye 
Herod — the poor? 

CASPAR 

Is he not poor 
To lose him both my brothers' crowns, 
And needs ask alms of me, old Caspar? — 
Ho, take him this my crown, poor Herod! 
And this, my sceptre, yea, and this 
My cloak also, and bid him keep 
His staff for kings of sadder heart 
To bow them to. Mine is too merry. — 
Now, kiddies, come: where be your cakes 
And frosting? 

(Having put off his King's robe, sceptre and crown, Caspar now 
appears in his under-jerkin of red, with long boots, like 
a Peasant.) 

MELCHIOR 
(To Belshasar) 

Mad! Stark gone! 

58 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



CAPTAIN 

(Tossing aside the robe, sceptre and crown, speaks to his 

Followers.) 

Lay-by 
These tokens, men! Your spears! Your spears! 
This wise man shall learn wisdom now 
In Herod's name. 

BELSHASAR 

(Interposing) 

Forbear! He raves. 
(He and Melchior draw the Captain momentarily aside.) 

RUTH 

(To Caspar) 

Alas! How can you help us now 
And have no kingdom? 

CASPAR 

Ha, my dears I 
A joyful heart finds many a job 
Can earn a kingdom. 

(Taking the little Boy and Girl, one on each knee, he speaks 
to them and their Mother.) 

Cheerly, woman! 
Thy goodman plied a goodly trade. — 
Poor Glaus he was a pedlar: Ho! 
A pedlar now will Caspar be, 
And take thy goodman's pack and name, 
And ply his trade of children's toys 
By neighbor chinmeys, house to house, 

^ 59 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



With jingling bells in winter air; 

And hearth to hearth the mirth shall spread 

Around the fire, and yule logs blaze, 

And apples toast, and stockings spill 

With candy dolls and popping tricks; 

And tiptoe boys and girls shall peep 

To spy the pedlar with his sack. 

And pay his wage in wonder coin 

Left on the hearthstone; and through aU 

The evergreen and evergreen. 

Around the tree of light shall run — 

With fairy twinklings of His star — 

The laughter of a Manger Child. 

(Rising, he lifts the Children in his arms.) 
Up, kiddies, now, with Pedlar Claus 
To find His kingdom ! 

CAPTAIN 
(To Belshasar, brushing him and Melchior aside) 

Nay, no more ! 
He bowed not down, and shall pay dear 
For Herod's anger. 

CASPAR 
(Swinging the Pedlar's pack upon his back) 

Ho, good hearts! 
Now, Sorrow, come! and Poverty! 
And you, dear Song, that serve on them! 
You, Elf and Gnome, and desert beasts! 
Ye children all, both old and young, 
Come, gather by this holy Tree 
And share with Pedlar Claus his pack! 

60 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



CAPTAIN 

(Mocking) 

Ho, Claus, the Pedlar-King! Hail Claus! 

THE HOST OF HEROD 
Hail, Claus, the Pedlar-KLing ! King Claus ! 

(They crowd toward him; his cap is struck off.) 

CAPTAIN 
(Raising the cap on a spear) 

Lo, Claus, his crown! Behold the crown I 

THE HOST 
Hail to the crown! The Pedlar's crown! 

CAPTAIN 

Ye Spears of Herod, spill him wine ' 
Yea, with his blood anoint him ! 

(Pointing their spears, the Host turn to rush upon Caspar, 
when suddenly a Blaze of Light checks and astounds 
them: silverly A Blast of Trumpets sounds; the Ever- 
green branches burst into bloom of stars, while TREE, as 
Angel, comes forth, holding sheathed a shining Sword, 
its hasp in a Crown of Holly.) 

TREE 

Stay! 
Bow, Host of Herod! Bow ye down 
And hail our Saint of Evergreen: 
Hail Santa Claus ! 

(Tree places the Holly Crown on Caspar's head. 

A Burst of Sleigh-Bells sounds, filling the air with their 
circlings of silver music.) 

6i 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



THE CHILDREN, FAIRIES AND BEASTS 
(Shout with wild joy) 



Hail, Santa Claus! 



THE CAPTAIN AND THE HOST 
(Falling back, murmur in awe) 

Hail, Santa Claus! 

(Overwhelmed, they bow down. Choirs of shrilly gladness break 
forth in Chorus, as the jingling sleigh-bells change to 
Pealing Chimes.) 



Eleventh Chorus: 
A, 8 and B, 5. 
Chorus of the 
Christmas Tree 

Part I. 

(Chorus A) 

The Pedlar-King 



CHORUS 

Hail — Santa Claus! 

Saint of our Evergreen! 

Hail, dear Pedlar of starry joys! 

On your own shoulders 
Now you have lifted 
All the world's weariness — 
Pack of old burdens. 
Sack of our sorrows: 
Lifted it, stored aneio. 
Crammed with enchantment. 
Bursting with merry 
And magical laughter. 
Wonder of children — 
Mirth of our Lord! 
62 




The Pedlar-King 



Bow, Host of Herod! Bow ye down 
And hail our Saint of Evergreen: 
Hail Satita Claus! 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 

Hail, dear Pedlar- 
King of our Evergreen: 

Santa! Santa! 

Holly-crowned saint of us! 
Hail, eternal 
Wise man and child! 

(During this Chorus and while it continues, Santa— with 
beaming face — opens his great pack and distributes 
forth gifts to the Children, the Outcasts, and the 
Host of Herod, who now rise joyfully and press round 
him. Chorus now answers Chorus across the assembled 
People, the deep voices of the Men's Chorus (B) now 
singing in Antiphony.) 

CHORUS A Part 11. 

, {Choruses A and B) 

Who wafcened her heart with song for the coming The Tree 

of light? 
Who harked for the morning stars their singing 

together? 

CHORUS B Antiphonal 

The Tree! The Tree! 

The Evergreen Tree! 
The light of her heart hath blossomed — 

Hath bloomed with stars 
In the places of desert. 

CHORUS A 

Who nourished a dream in the lone wilderness, 
Where wild beasts kill one another and weary of 
killing? 

63 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



Antiphonal CHORUS B 

The Tree! The Tree! 

The Evergreen Tree! 
The power of her dream hath blossomed 

With blinding stars 
In the hearts of the terrible. 

CHORUS A 

Herod, lord of the world! Who hath defeated his 
power? 

Antiphond CHORUS B 

A star! A star doth confound him! 

CHORUS A 

Herod, sword of the world! Who hath surmounted 
his cunning? 

Antiphond CHORUS B 

A child! A child hath disarmed him! 

CHORUS A 

Herod, wrath of the world! What hath overthrown 
his dominion? 



Antiphond CHORUS B 

A dream! A dream hath survived him! 

64 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



CHORUS A P'^rtiii. 

(Choruses A and B) 

(Appearing in their over-garments of White, look toward the 7-^^ c/inj 
place of Herod while they sing.) 

Where are ye thai through the blindness of the slaughter ^ 
Through the terror and the tempest of the night, — 
Where are ye that bowed you down to a helmet and a 
crown? 

Have you seen the Child His stars? 
Have you heard the morning stars — 
His stars that sing around the Tree of light? 

Will you hasten? Will you heed? 

Will you bind His wounds that bleed? 
Will you build his works of joy and charity? 

Are you risen? Do you hark? 

Are you coming through the dark — 
Are you coming, are you coming to the Tree? 

CHORUS B 

(In their over- garments of Red, rise from the place of their 
singing, and move forward in procession toward the 
Chorus in White.) 

Here are we that knew the blindness of the slaughter, 

Kneiv the terror and the tempest of the night: 
Here are we that bowed us down to a helmet and a 
crown. 

But we\e seen, the Child His stars. 
We have heard the morning stars — 
His stars that sing a/round the Tree of light. 

6s 



THE EVERGREEN TREE 



We will hasten! We will heed! 

We will hind His wounds that bleed; 
We will build His works of joy and charity. 

We are risen, and we hark! 

We are coming through the dark — 
We are coming, we are coming to the Tree! 

(As they approach the Tree, the Singers of Chorus B lay off 

their Red over-garments and join the Chorus in White. 

The two Choruses now form one. 
Joined, in their singing, by the Host of Herod, the Outcasts, 

and by All the Assembled People, they raise their 

Voices together.) 

ALL 

Child of God, forgive the blindness and the slaughter! 

Child of Pity, calm the terror of the night! 
Yea, and all that bow them down to a helmet and a 
crown — 

Let them see, like us. Thy stars! 
Let them join the morning stars — 
Thy stars that sing around the Tree of light! 

Child of Heaven, now we heed! 

We will bind Thy wounds that bleed; 
We will build Thy works of joy and charity. 

We are risen in Thy right: 

We are singing through the night — 
We are singing, we are singing to the Tree! 

Alleluia! 
Amenl 




The Morning Stars 



CHORUS 

Child of Heaven y now we heed! 

We will bind Thy wounds that bleed. 

We wUl build Thy works of joy and charity: 

We are risen in Thy right. 

We are singing through the night — 

We are singing, we are singing to the Treet 



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SUGGESTIONS FOR 
COMMUNITY PRELUDE AND EPILUDE 

I.— PRELUDE 

In producing this Masque, different communities will doubt- 
less wish to observe different ways of assembling to prepare 
and begin its production. 

Some, especially those given on a small scale, may need and 
desire no prelusive form of ceremony, in action, speech or song. 

For productions given on a larger scale, however, since a 
receptive and devotional state of feeling is greatly to be desired 
for its proper rendering and its impression upon those who 
witness and take part, it is strongly recommended that some 
kind of brief, general Song Overture of the people be held just 
before the Masque begins. 

With this need in mind, the suggestions here made by the 
author are given for whatever service they may render to the 
desired end. 

As Prelude to the production of "The Evergreen Tree," 
the following kind of Song Overture and informal Ceremony 
are suggested for such large-scale types of the Masque's pro- 
duction as are witnessed and performed by all classes, races, 
ages and creeds of the community. 

After night-fall, on a winter's evening, let us imagine men, 
women and children of a town or city gathered together out 
of doors in a pubUc square or park, or indoors within some level- 
floored structure, to assemble by the community Christmas 
Tree, and to join in general singing under a leader. 

The Leader will gather the best trained singers at a central 
place (indicated by the roped-off circle in the Ground Plan on 
the page opposite), and will start the community singing, or 
guide its spontaneous beginnings under his leadership. 

69 



COMMUNITY PRELUDE 



The trained Chorus will perhaps sing the "Adeste Fidelis," 
or "Hark! the Herald Angels Sing," and the caroUers will 
raise their voices in such old Christmas songs as may best 
appeal to them. So, perhaps for twenty minutes or half an 
hour, the singers will hold an informal Overture, in which all 
the gathered people may have joined. 

Meanwhile, or beforehand, the Chorus will have put on their 
outer garments of red and white (designed according to Mr. 
Jones' costume suggestions), and will have divided into their 
two separate bodies — (i) the mixed voices, Chorus A, and (2) 
the male choir, Chorus B. 

Then the Chorus Leader, or some one appointed by him, 
when the Masque is almost ready to begin, will rise at the 
centre — visible above the heads of the Chorus and the people — 
and will speak to the assemblage, perhaps in his own words, 
or perhaps — using some portion or all of the speech here given 
— he will speak substantially as follows: 

THE CHORUS LEADER 

Neighbors and Friends — ^we have been singing together: 
Wherever friends sing together out of their hearts 
There God sings with them. 

We believe many different ideas, many differing creeds. — 
To-night let us forget how we differ: 

Let us remember only how we believe in one great thing — 
One Spirit in common — and this is its holy name: 
Singing Together. 

In old, old times, when plays were sung by the people, 

They built for them altars, sacred places of singing; 

And before their dramas began. 

They used to pray there 

And ask a blessing on the players, on the chorus and the people. 

And there, on those altars, they wrote the name of their Lord. 

Friends, we are gathered here now by an old, old altar: 

The altar of Song — 

Song of the people : old, young; happy, sad; rich and poor. 

70 



COMMUNITY PRELUDE 



We cannot see it with our eyes, 

But we know it in our hearts; 

And there we can read what is written — the name of our Lord, 

Whose hallowed name is called 

Singing Together. 

Now out of our Singing will rise an Acted Pageant 

To tell an old story newly — 

The story of a Child. 

Over yonder, by the Christmas Tree — there is the Wilderness, 

The Place of Outcasts: 

Over there — is the Gate of a Palace: the Palace of Herod — 

Herod, the mighty king in the Bible, 

His place of Empire; 

And there — and there — are two Paths, that lead to the Tree. 

Now let us sing one more carol. 

And take our places ; 

Then listen, and watch for a sign, while the Chorus sings: 

And when all is over — each of us, all together. 

Let us raise up our hearts and voices to one great Spirit 

That will make of us all one people: 

The Spirit whose glorious name is 

Singing Together. 

So concluding, the Chorus Leader and his Assistant Leader 
will accompany their Choruses (the one — Chorus A, the other 
— Chorus B) to the places where they sit during the Masque 
(indicated on the diagram) in front of their respective stages. 

As they go to their places, the Choruses will sing the carol 
"Good King Wencelas." Then, when all is still, the Masque 
of "The Evergreen Tree" will commence with the Chorus of 
the Wilderness. 



71 



COMMUNITY EPILUDE 



II.— EPILUDE 

At the conclusion of the Masque, it is not advisable that any 
other formal ceremony should follow. 

The participants, the children and the people will naturally 
be gathering about Santa Claus and partaking of the gifts from 
his pack, or otherwise sharing in happy festivity. 

In order, however, that the Masque shall not end in a gen- 
eral, disordered scattering of the assemblage, it is recommended 
that those in costume, including the Choruses (now united), 
shall march in good order to the places of their costuming, or 
to such other places as the Director of the Masque may desig- 
nate, singing together stanzas of the Masque hymn — easily 
learned, in unison, to the appealing music of Arthur Far well — 

" Glory and serenity, 
Beauty of desire. 
Bless to-night this holy tree 
And our candle-fire." — etc. 



72 



THREE MONOGRAPHS 

I.— DRAMATIZING COMMUNITY SONG 
By Percy MacKaye 

The allurement of the communal field in drama is its fresh- 
ness of opportunity — its infinite potential variety. 

Definitions have not yet hedged it; criticism has not yet 
charted, nor pedagogy catalogued its boundless horizons and 
creative streams; commercialism has not yet invaded its un- 
stinted harvests, to store and can them for the market, imder 
the labels of middlemen. 

So, in approaching this realm of "The Evergreen Tree," I 
have felt something of that thrill of discovery which must more 
often have been felt in earlier days on American soil : a feeling, 
I think, such as John Muir once told me he experienced when 
he gazed first, from the top of a great tree, over uncharted 
miles of the redwood region. Only here I have seemed to look 
upon the conjoining of a great, structural continent — the 
Drama — with a primal sea — the tides of Community Song, 
now carolling in quiet inlets, now choral with tempestuous 
music from fathomless deeps. 

If, then, I were to suggest the nature of this kind of com- 
munity drama by a topographical line, rather than by a defini- 
tion of theory, I would do so perhaps by a line such as this : 




73 



DRAMATIZING COMMUNITY SONG 

wherein the rising pyramid would represent an emerging con- 
tour of that continent (the Drama), whose base is submerged 
and fused with those singing tides (Community Music). 

So perhaps, as dramatist, I might suggest the coming to- 
gether of those two realms or "movements" of social art, to 
which my friend Arthur Farwell refers in his comments, as 
composer. 

Obviously, this coming together implies a new technique of 
the community dramatist — a technique not for a hollowed 
amphitheatre (that of the traditional theatre), but for a level 
assembly place (that of the cathedral) : where visually, from a 
floor thronged with choral communicants, there rises a sharp 
focal point of dramatic action — a small raised stage, for such 
few acting characters as are typical of the community dramatic 
ritual. 

So the setting of the Masque takes form according to its 
nature (as indicated by the Ground Plan opposite page 69, 
and by the worded description in the front of this volume). 
And so, as the dramatic architect by his design shapes the 
conditions for the cooperation of the composer, he shapes also 
the conditions for the cooperation of the scenic producer — 
in this case, Robert Edmond Jones, whose fresh and fertile 
genius becomes in a production as significant for the eye as the 
creative ardor of Arthur Farwell does for the ear. 

In the following pages, each of these representative artists 
describes briefly his distinctive approach and viewpoint toward 
the ensemble production. As well as may be in brief space, we 
hope thus to suggest — for all who read the Masque with a view 
to its performance on however simple a scale — something of our 
own feelings for the right creative and interpretive approach 
to this fresh field, in which we are planning to cooperate per- 
sonally in at least some one production of "The Evergreen 
Tree." 

In the pioneering attempt of this Masque, my own purpose 
is to dramatize community singing — for conditions of our own 
time, especially in America, during this new, formative period 
which the world war has begun. 

In other lands and ages of folk art, community song has been 
dramatized, as it can only be dramatized vitally, by artists 
moved by the spirit of religion; and relics of such forms still 

74 



DRAMATIZING COMMUNITY SONG 

survive amongst us in rituals of the churches. But these rituals 
necessarily have attained their growth — nobly classic at their 
best, at their worst — dully disintegrated. 

Now new forces of an age rehgiously urgent for democracy 
demand a re-creation of the forms of folk art, plastic to the 
living currents of the new time. These currents, though con- 
tinuous from the past, widen now between strange banks and 
other horizons; though perennial, they require fresh coor- 
dination. 

The carol, for instance, and the ballad — old forms of folk 
art — survive with us only in their archaic appeal. We in 
America cannot hope or wisely desire to revive them for what 
they once were — spontaneous expressions of continuous com- 
munal life in villages and peasant heaths, for that life has gone 
from us, not to return. But we can do this — and in so doing, 
give them new life. We can relate them definitely to a form 
of art for us still living and indigenous — to the drama, and 
essentially to that community kind of drama which is but now 
beginning its renascence of world forms portentous for the 
future. 

So in "The Evergreen Tree," perhaps for the first time, I have 
embodied the acted carol and the acted ballad as structural 
parts of a dramatic unity — a communal dramatic unity, to 
which the forms of folk music are allied and essential. 

Here, then, comes into being a new kind of music drama — 
far removed from the connotation of opera — a Song Drama of 
the people. From this, speech will not be absent; but it will 
necessarily be related to the simplicity of folk song and folk 
poetry, in being rhythmic and chantable in its cadences — • 
taking on forms of spoken poetry definitely related to the 
people's poetry of song. 

This Song Drama, too, of its nature — though susceptible of 
splendid pageantry — will depend, for its dramatic conflict, far 
less on wills opposed in visual action than on contrasted emo- 
tions of song — of choral song, thus bringing again the Chorus 
back to its rightful place, heard and visible, among the people — 
as with the Greeks; only now for us it becomes a double Chorus, 
oppositional in will and definitely divided in two parts (the 
antiphonal Choruses, A and B, of this Masque, costumed also 
in visual contrast), until its parts become reconciled in emotion, 

75 



DRAMATIZING COMMUNITY SONG 

when — both aurally and visibly — the two unite, as at the end of 
"The Evergreen Tree." 

This much at least expresses my conception of a new art 
imphed in the present work — not as an a priori theory, nor as a 
generalization for others — but as the working method which 
has seemed for me best adapted to perform a definite task in 
the community field involved. 

The theme of the Masque I will only touch upon here to 
say that, in inventing its legend of Caspar and Claus, I hope 
I may not wholly miss that unconscious approval, which 
would be dearer than any other — the belief of the children. 

Cornish, N. H., 
September, 191 7. 



76 



COMMUNITY MUSIC 



II —COMMUNITY MUSIC AND THE COMPOSER 
By Arthur Farwell 

The birth of our national self-consciousness in music, from 
the creative standpoint, occurred less than twenty years ago. 
Not until the last two decades did the prodigious musical 
studies of our young people at home and abroad produce com- 
posers in sufficient quantity to make American music, its 
character and potentialities, a national question. 

Even so brief a period as this has, however, sufficed to wit- 
ness a succession of distinct phases in our national musical 
attitude and achievement, phases so strongly contrasted as to 
represent radical changes of artistic tendency and almost com- 
plete reversals in belief and direction of effort. 

The last and greatest of these changes is that one which has 
withdrawn attention from the composer as an abstract phe- 
nomenon, and from frviitless theories of American music, and 
has centered it upon the immediate service which music can 
render to the people of our nation. In the long run, the nation 
cannot go one way and its music another. That the ideal in 
the spirit of music must sooner or later, in this country, be 
reconciled to and wedded with the ideal of the spirit of democ- 
racy, is an idea which has met with general acceptance only 
in the last three years, although it has been ardently cham- 
pioned by a few individuals for nearly two decades. 

Taking its rise in the compelling necessity of this principle, 
the "community music" movement has swept the country in 
the last few years, plunging it anew into violent discussion, 
annihilating personal theories and products of the musical 
hot-house, demanding the wholesome and the true — and giving 
the people expression. 

In this movement the composer of the music for "The Ever- 
green Tree" has been immersed. In the communal dramatic 
work and ideas of Percy MacKaye, he has recognized a similar 
development in the art of the theatre. It was inevitable that 
these two movements should come together and unite their 
powers in seeking to make a helpful contribution to the quest for 
a drama — and should it not truly be a music drama? — that shall 



DESIGNS FOR "THE EVERGREEN TREE" 



serve most appropriately the deep need of the American people 
for expression in such a form. 

Anything which may prove to be of worth in my composi- 
tions for "The Evergreen Tree," I owe to the new influx of life 
which I have received from my contact with the soul of the 
people, as revealed in the movement which is making us a sing- 
ing nation. 

Cornish, N. H., 
September, 1917. 



Ill— DESIGNS FOR "THE EVERGREEN TREE" 
By Robert Edmond Jones 

The drawings in this book will prove most helpful if they are 
thought of merely as notes to be amplified or varied according 
to the special needs of each community production. 

Different communities will develop the main scheme in vari- 
ous ways. 

The production indicated here is on a large scale in the open 
air; but the arrangement of stages and aisles is equally im- 
pressive in the smallest church. 

Facilities for Hghting will vary widely in different communi- 
ties. 

Don't be discouraged if you haven't an elaborate electric 
equipment at your disposal. Think how beautiful the Masque 
might be, done by candle-Ught in an old country meetinghouse! 

The costumes are extremely simple, and depend largely for 
their effectiveness on the dignity with which they are worn. 

The two Choruses wear surplice-like overgarments, red or 
white. Elf suggests a butterfly: Gnome, a beetle: Tree, a Fra 
Angelico angel. Wolf, Bear and Lion wear masks, rudely 
made, like mummers of the Middle Ages. Wolfs tail is at- 
tached to a belt, which he pulls from side to side. 

78 



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DESIGNS FOR "THE EVERGREEN TREE" 



Nearly all the other costumes consist of a simple, cloak- 
like undergarment, over which are worn tunics and robes to 
characterize the Host of Herod, the Shepherds, the Followers 
of the Three Kings, or the Outcasts. There is nothing realistic 
in these clothes: they merely suggest the characters, broadly, 
as if they were made by children for a child's play. They may 
be carried out by any dressmaker in inexpensive materials — 
muslin, cambric, cheesecloth, flannel— keeping always to a few 
brilliant, flat colors: strong red, strong blue, black and white, 
gray, and orange. 

Make these costumes yourselves: use your own ingenuity 
in cutting and draping them: wear them with a sense of what 
each costume means. Then your ceremony will be beautiful. 

New York, 
September, 191 7. 



79 



ACTION OF "THE EVERGREEN TREE" 

ACTION OF ''THE EVERGREEN TREE'' 

The Masque is performed in Twelve Actions, taking 
place as follows: 

First Action: Stage A (Chorus; Speech). 

Second Action: Aisle I (Carol; Processional). 

Third Action: Stage A (Carol; Speech). 

Fourth Action: Approaching Space and Steps A; then 
Stage A (Chorus; Carols; Speech). 

Fifth Action: Stage B (Chorus; Speech). 

Sixth Action: Stage A (Chorus; Speech). 

Seventh Action: Aisle II (Carol; Processional). 

Eighth Action: Stage A (Carols; Speech). 

Ninth Action: Stage B and Aisle I (Choral Song; 
Chorus; Processional; Pantomime). 

Tenth Action: Stage A (Carol; Speech). 

Eleventh Action: Aisle I and Aisle II (Choral Song; 
Processional). 

Twelfth Action: Stage A (Chorus; Speech). 

80 



ANNOUNCEMENTS 

IN REGARD TO THIS MASQUE 

THE MUSIC 

for the Choruses and Carols of "The Evergreen Tree" 

has been composed by 

ARTHUR FARWELL 

and is Published, with the Words of the Same, by 

The John Church Company 
39 West 32nd Street, New York City. Price $1.50 

THE PRODUCTION 

of the Masque can be adapted to any scale of expense, 
simple or elaborate, and to any practical number of 
participants, few or many. With a view to assisting any 
community, army camp, or naval station, to organize 
and adapt a production to its own local conditions, 

"A GUIDE TO 'THE EVERGREEN TREE,'" 

a Series of Questions and Answers relating to all 
phases to the Masque's production, has been compiled 
by Percy J. Burrell, under sanction of the Author, 
Composer and Costume Designer, and wiU be sent, by 
The John Church Company, on request, free of expense 
to any one interested. 

No Perforaiance Without Permission first having 
been obtained, and No Public Readings, where 
money is charged for admission, can legally be given. 

PERMISSION MAY BE OBTAINED to produce 
this Masque, or to read it in Public, by applying to the 
Masque Organizer of "The Evergreen Tree," 39 West 
32nd Street, New York (Care The John Church Com- 
pany), who win be glad to supply further information 
and to arrange, wherever practicable, for personal 
conference in regard to productions. ^u 

81 



